Lumine immediately shut off the spotlights. In Furina's eyes, those spotlights must have felt like the gaze of the entire nation fixed upon her.
Lumine fell into thought. At that moment, she noticed a theater ticket Furina had dropped. She picked it up and sat down in the audience seats.
Let me see your true heart, Furina.
Act One — In front of the mirror, Furina.
Furina walked from the center of the stage toward a massive mirror as an unknown voice awakened her.
Furina: "Who's calling me? Who? Where are you?"
A figure appeared on the mirror's surface—it was Focalors.
Focalors: "Don't be nervous, don't be afraid. I'm right in front of you."
Seeing a perfect reflection of herself inside the mirror, Furina panicked slightly.
Furina: "No… this isn't right. Why do you look exactly like me? Are you… the me inside the mirror?"
Focalors: "Mm, you can call it that. Sure, I'll be the 'you in the mirror.'"
Furina: "So, mirror-me… why are you looking for me?"
[The Knave: Looks like this is Furina's secret, which she could never say out loud.]
[Furina: Yes, Knave—this is exactly what you've always wanted to know.]
[Ningguang: The Hydro Archon split her divine self from her human self. The human side played the role of the Hydro Archon… so what was her real divine self doing all this time?]
[Nahida: Likely something extremely important. Preparing to resist Celestia takes time.]
[Arataki Itto: This livestream is nuts—learning secret Archon history like this!]
[Keqing: Yes… secrets that never made it into any historical record.]
Focalors: "Have you heard about the prophecy?"
Furina: "What prophecy?"
She was confused at first, but understanding soon dawned on her.
"Wait. I think I know it. I don't know why, but… it's like it's imprinted in my mind."
Furina (reciting): "All will dissolve into the sea, and only the Hydro Archon will remain, weeping upon the throne. Only then will Fontaine's sins be washed clean."
Focalors: "Exactly. You know it perfectly."
Furina clutched her head.
Furina: "What's going on? My memories are all blurry—except this one prophecy. Will it really come true?"
[Ningguang: So when the divine persona left the human body, it took all of its memories with it—except the prophecy.]
[Keqing: Meaning Furina knew nothing about Focalors' real plan.]
[Ningguang: Clearly so. Perhaps those memories belonged to the godhood itself, so they could not remain.]
[Focalors: Exactly. Separation must be absolute. That is why Furina is a completely pure human.]
Focalors: "Yes, and that is why I've come. Fontaine's calamity will one day arrive, and everything will unfold exactly as the prophecy says. There is no escape."
Furina: "Wouldn't that be disastrous? Everyone in Fontaine… even I… we'd all dissolve?"
Focalors laughed softly.
"Don't worry. Miracles exist in this world so that people may find hope—even in the face of despair. Just like how you met me today."
"I can tell you a way for everyone to survive. But you may have to endure some pain."
Furina exhaled in relief.
"So there is a way… You scared me! The way you were talking before made it sound hopeless!"
Furina: "As for the pain—my first thought was, why does it have to be me who suffers?"
"But if the prophecy really comes true, I'll die anyway. And besides… fate has already chosen me."
"If there were a scale—with all of Fontaine's lives on one side, and my pain on the other… no one needs to ask which way it would tilt."
[Focalors: Allow me to introduce her—my ideal, perfect human. She fears, she hesitates, she can be selfish, and she can be selfless. Her virtues are human virtues, and her flaws are human flaws. Isn't she perfect?]
[Zhongli: Saints and villains alike are incomplete. Only someone like her is whole.]
[Nahida: Yes—flawlessly imperfect.]
[Arataki Itto: What is this? Why is everyone flattering her? What's perfect about Furina!?]
[Kuki Shinobu: Boss, now is not the time to argue. That's a god you're talking to!]
[Arataki Itto: Ahem—right! Perfect! Amazingly perfect! She'd be even more perfect with a pair of horns!]
[Yae Miko: For context—Arataki Itto is not human, so… his aesthetics are unique. Lady Focalors, please don't mind him.]
[Focalors: I am a god. Why would something so trivial bother me? Clorinde—go to Inazuma and teach him a lesson.]
[Clorinde: Understood, Lady Hydro Archon.]
[System: Teleport request received! Clorinde, sending you over—ah!!]
(TL Note: I'm switching to using 'System' because it's more concise.)
[Arataki Itto: Please—not the face!!!]
The mirror-woman—Focalors—laughed, clearly satisfied with Furina's resolve.
Focalors: "You truly are the most perfect human. My ideal."
"This must be your version of justice."
Furina didn't understand, but Focalors gave no explanation. Instead, she issued her order:
"Listen carefully. Fontaine has just lost its Hydro Archon. I need you to play the role of the new Hydro Archon."
Furina: "Play… a god?"
Focalors: "Yes. You must keep acting forever. No one can be allowed to question your identity."
"If you can do that, I'll have a way to fight the prophecy. But if your identity is exposed, the final hope disappears."
[Ningguang: So that's why—only by maintaining the role could the prophecy be resisted. To protect her persona, Furina even reached toward the Primordial Sea.]
[Keqing: Even when her identity was revealed, she never gave up. She preserved hope until the final moment—even if sacrificing her own life only bought a few seconds.]
[Focalors: This is perfection—a human who fears, who runs, yet when resolved, not even death can sway her. Unshakable conviction overcomes all terror.]
[Charlotte: We… owe her far too much.]
[Wriothesley: From now on, Furina is my idol.]
[Sigewinne: Mine too.]
[Neuvillette: … As well as mine.]
[Focalors: Ahahaha—Water Dragon, you're far too adorable!]
Furina hesitated.
Furina: "But… how do I even do that? I'm just human—how am I supposed to convincingly play a god without being exposed?"
Focalors: "Don't worry. You don't need to become a god."
"You only need to play the role that people believe a god should look like."